Michigan

Lions are undecided about new overtime proposal

ORLANDO -- One of the proposals that could get voted on during the NFL owners meetings is a change in the overtime rule -- a modification the Detroit Lions have yet to embrace or reject.

"We're open-minded,'' Lions coach Jim Schwartz said.

Lions president Tom Lewand said the proposal was handed down so recently that he, Schwartz and Lions general manager Martin Mayhew haven't had time to discuss it at length yet.

Lewand also said he wouldn't be surprised if the measure is tabled until the owners meetings in May to give teams more time to contemplate the pros and cons of the change.

The rule, which would be used only in playoff games, changes the format of the sudden death situation in overtime. As it stands now, the first team to score wins the game.

Under the new rule, if the team that wins the coin toss goes down the field and scores a touchdown, the game is over. However, if that team goes down and kicks a field goal, they would have to kick off and give the other team a chance to either score a touchdown (and win the game) or kick a field goal (and begin a true sudden death scenario).